Training camp questions #14: who will surprise us?

[dudacek]

Just three more of these left as training camp opens Friday.

 

People thought Brad Marchand was good player for a DB. But a1st-liner for Team Canada?

Cam Atkinson? Who had him pencilled in for 35 goals?

Who knew Jaccob Slavin or Mark Stone would be that good?

 

It isn't always dramatic, and it hasn't seemed to happen for the Sabres for awhile.

But players do emerge, silence their doubters and prove they are better than people thought.

 

Who could be that guy this year for Buffalo?

[WildCard]

Beaulieu and / or Antipin. These guys are going to be a lot better than anyone thinks

[qwksndmonster]

SAMSON REINHART

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Bogo.

[WildCard]

SAMSON ###### REINHART

Your avatar is just too good

[Derrico]

Jake McCabe. We all like his game. Phil Housley loved his game when he coached Team USA at the WJC making him team captain. I think he already has a ton of confidence in him. That is going to lead to bigger minutes. I can't wait to see what Phil has in store for Jake.

I like the Bogo answer as well. He would be my second choice.

[qwksndmonster]

Your avatar is just too good

I laughed for so long when I first saw it on twitter. It's crazy how one relatively small tweak changes an entire logo.

[nfreeman]

Maybe the last Sabre who surprised at a high level was...Pommer!

 

Or McCabe.  He didn't quite come out of nowhere though.

 

Connolly certainly surprised in '05-'06, but that was more of resurrection of a well-known blue-chipper.

 

It doesn't seem like there's room for a surprise at D.  There is certainly room at F.  I don't think Fasching, Bailey or Baptiste grabbing a spot and producing would be a huge surprise, unless that player had a really big season. 

 

Maybe Rodrigues or CJ Smith?

[Eleven]

I don't really see any surprises on the plus side.

 

Lehner could surprise us the wrong way, though.  Hope I'm wrong.

[Doohicksie]

Moulson.

[Samson's Flow]

Last few years it seems we have had negative surprises for players we thought were good that fell off the cliff. Here's hoping that this year the changes in staff and players will allow the guys we will rely on to play consistently.

 

That and Sam Reinhart at Center will blow all of your minds. 3rd line scoring will be the surprise.

[darksabre]

How about this? 

Jack Eichel



Listen, we know he's good right?

But what if he is just that much better? What if he is downright dominant? 

[Samson's Flow]

How about this? 

 

Jack Eichel

 

 

 

Listen, we know he's good right?

 

But what if he is just that much better? What if he is downright dominant? 

I think you mean healthy. He was pretty dominant when he played.

[dudacek]

Jake McCabe. We all like his game. Phil Housley loved his game when he coached Team USA at the WJC making him team captain. I think he already has a ton of confidence in him. That is going to lead to bigger minutes. I can't wait to see what Phil has in store for Jake.I like the Bogo answer as well. He would be my second choice.

I think this is a perceptive, under-the-radar choice.

It's a guy who wants it, who has been ahead of the curve so far, and who no one expects to be better than he has been.

[pi2000]

Moulson.

 

[Doohicksie]

:D

[darksabre]

I think you mean healthy. He was pretty dominant when he played.

I disagree. He took a lot of heat last year for games where he looked disinterested or didn't do much. He produced and had some real WOW moments, but I think if he comes out this year and just blows the doors off night in and night out, that would be a big surprise and would make Jack the legitimate star we all want him to be. 

[Samson's Flow]

I disagree. He took a lot of heat last year for games where he looked disinterested or didn't do much. He produced and had some real WOW moments, but I think if he comes out this year and just blows the doors off night in and night out, that would be a big surprise and would make Jack the legitimate star we all want him to be. 

So if I understand correctly, you are thinking that Jack will produce at more than the nearly point per game pace he did last year?

 

Or are you more focused on his perceived shift to shift interest level? i.e. that he looks more like a dominant player and relies less on his spurts of efforts within games to generate points. IMO it is an impossible standard for a player to go all out every shift and make it through an 82 game season, especially one of Jack's talent level.

[darksabre]

So if I understand correctly, you are thinking that Jack will produce at more than the nearly point per game pace he did last year?

 

Or are you more focused on his perceived shift to shift interest level? i.e. that he looks more like a dominant player and relies less on his spurts of efforts within games to generate points. IMO it is an impossible standard for a player to go all out every shift and make it through an 82 game season, especially one of Jack's talent level.

I'm thinking more about puck control and game flow. He could really impact the game more and never accumulate another point on the score sheet to show for it. But you'd see it in how the rest of the team puts up points, controls the zone, etc., when they're with him on the ice. 

[bob_sauve28]

Beaulieu and / or Antipin. These guys are going to be a lot better than anyone thinks

I agree with him. I think he will push to make a difference. 

 

So many forwards to consider. So much competition that I will just predict one of Bailey, Fascing, Basptist, Smith, Rodriguez or someone else will emerge as an above average NHL player. 

[WildCard]

I disagree. He took a lot of heat last year for games where he looked disinterested or didn't do much. He produced and had some real WOW moments, but I think if he comes out this year and just blows the doors off night in and night out, that would be a big surprise and would make Jack the legitimate star we all want him to be. 

I think that was his rookie year, not last year. I don't recall the chatter being nearly as loud last year about this, or really there at all

[Samson's Flow]

I'm thinking more about puck control and game flow. He could really impact the game more and never accumulate another point on the score sheet to show for it. But you'd see it in how the rest of the team puts up points, controls the zone, etc., when they're with him on the ice. 

Gotcha. I am hoping with a more aggressive system and better puck support from the team jack won't feel like he needs to do everything himself. If he can utilize his teammates more we can look more dangerous as a team. This would make him look more engaged throughout instead of picking his spots to carry the team himself.

I think that was his rookie year, not last year. I don't recall the chatter being nearly as loud last year about this, or really there at all

Dark has 32,000 posts. He cant be wrong :nana:

 

We need to band together like Voltron to defeat him. With our posts combined...

Edited September 13, 2017 by Touched by Boyes

[darksabre]

I think that was his rookie year, not last year. I don't recall the chatter being nearly as loud last year about this, or really there at all

It was there, and on this forum to boot.

[WildCard]

Gotcha. I am hoping with a more aggressive system and better puck support from the team jack won't feel like he needs to do everything himself. If he can utilize his teammates more we can look more dangerous as a team. This would make him look more engaged throughout instead of picking his spots to carry the team himself.

Dark has 32,000 posts. He cant be wrong :nana:

 

We need to band together like Voltron to defeat him. With our posts combined...

I'm slowly catching him. It's depressing :lol:

 

It was there, and on this forum to boot.

Huh, guess I just don't remember it

[Randall Flagg]

I came in to say that if the answer was Jake McCabe, it would go a long way towards helping us win. He's already an okay second pairing option, but if he could surprise us we could have an NHL-legitimate top 3 D and depth pieces like Beaulieu and them. 

 

How about, 
 

Evan Rodrigues as a legitimate NHL third liner. He's an intelligent guy with very few physical attributes that stand out, but maybe he surprises in a role similar to that which Paul Byron grabbed in Montreal.